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Saturday, November 10, 2012

Wait, don't throw that away - Recycle it with TerraCycle!

When you think of recycling, what comes to mind? Probably cans, water bottles, and newspapers. Some of you may also take it a step further and recycle/reuse your glass jars or sort your plastic and aluminum food packaging for recycling. If so, wonderful – you are proficient at kitchen recycling.

However, what about the other room in your home that is filled with tubes, jars, and various bottles?

Yes, I am talking about the bathroom. For years my bathroom trash can was home to empty moisturizer jars and dried up tubes of mascara. I never thought about recycling these containers because I didn't know that I could. (I call this my pre-TerraCycle period.) I recently sent a box filled with all sorts of personal care and cosmetic product packaging to TerraCycle that included compacts, lipstick tubes, shampoo bottles, foundation tubes, hair pomade jars, and so much more. Yes, all of these containers can be recycled.

You can recycle packaging like this too by simply joining the TerraCycle Personal Care and Beauty Brigade. Participating in TerraCycle brigades is free and is another great way that you can help keep waste out of the landfills. For a full listing of the personal care and beauty product accepted waste visit the TerraCycle website.

While you are there, be sure to look at the other brigades available to join. I am sure you will be just as surprised as I was to learn how many types of product packaging can be recycled.

Points earned from sending in qualified shipments can be redeemed for TerraCycle product bundles, charitable gifts or cash donations made to a charity of your choice. It’s like getting two for one – you keep waste out of the landfills and you are rewarded with making a charitable gift.

So the next time you think about throwing something in the trash can, stop. Don’t throw it away because you can probably recycle it.